Squash Glossary

Types Of Squash For Summer, Winter And Year-Round

Page 4: Butternut Squash & Other Squash Types Beginning With B

This is Page 4 of an eight-page glossary featuring different types of squash. Here, squash types beginning with B include favorites like butternut squash and more unusual varieties like baby boo, banana and buttercup squash; click here to recommend a variety we haven’t included. Click on the black links below to visit the other pages. See our more than 50 other food glossaries, each featuring a different favorite food.

A miniature white pumpkin 2 to 3 inches in diameter. There’s not much flesh, so the baby boo pumpkin is mostly used for decoration.

Available throughout the fall.

Banana Squash

Ranging from 2 to 3 feet in length, the log-shaped banana squash has a pale cream- or peach-colored exterior and golden, cantaloupe-colored flesh. It averages 10 to 12 pounds, although grocers often sell it in more manageable cuts. It is common for banana squash in home gardens to grow up to 40 to 50 pounds or more. Bush Pink Banana Squash is a specific heirloom squash with pink skin and orange flesh.

Available year-round, but peak season lasts summer through early fall.

Buttercup Squash

Squat and green with vertical gray or pale green stripes, the decorative buttercup squash with tender orange flesh has a flavor similar to sweet potato.

Available year-round, but peak season lasts from early fall through winter.

Butternut Squash

A creamy-colored gourd with a bottleneck shape, the butternut squash is one of the more common varieties of squash. It tastes like a nuttier version of the sweet potato and can be baked or steamed.